Bio
dee lucas – saxophonist
National recording artist and smooth jazz soprano saxophonist Dee Lucas has been considered one the country’s best well-kept secrets and is steadily expanding his fan base since the release of his well-received 2004 debut solo CD Remembrance, a tribute to legendary saxophonist George Howard. With his sophomore CD ‘ Something To Ride 2 ‘ and his current CD ‘ Standing Room Only ‘ on Mo Better Recordings lable, Dee Lucas further develops his own distinctive style by bringing a more urban funk sound to his smooth tunes that is more than just pleasing to the ear.
Dee Lucas is a ‘true’ self-taught musician. The Atlanta-based artist did not pick up the sax until the age of 28. However, with self-reliance, determination, and discipline, Dee has reached a level of professional musicianship in a ‘fast-track’ manner that would command the respect from both listeners and musical peers. The results from playing ‘from the heart’ has also developed his own unique style which is a career challenge for any artist.
Born October 29, 1966 in a small but warm community of Tanner, Alabama, Dee is the youngest of four children. Surprisingly, no one in his family even knew he had a musical interest during his adolescent days because of his commitment to sports, particularly basketball. “I always had dreamed of being a musician. But due to the nature of my environment such as peer pressure and financial constraints, decisions had to be made, and athletics was the choice of activity”, said Lucas.
Graduating from the University of North Alabama in 1988 with a Marketing/Computer Information Systems background, Dee moved to Atlanta the following year. After a couple of dormant years while working the ‘9-to-5’, he decided to pickup the sax for the first time and relied on his ears from years of just listening to music from his personal collection. Also, Dee would go to the local jazz clubs to get a feel of the musical pulse. “Listening to some of the talented sax players around the city was education enough to build a thirst and go home and mimic what they did” smiled Dee. “With the combination of listening to a plethora music on CD while going to see local cats like Darien Emory, Antonio Allen, Sam Skelton, Jimmy Brown (Brick), and trumpeter Melvin Miller, that was truly enough to develop a personal vote of confidence”.
In 1997, Dee joined a local band called Between 9&7. “This was my first band where I actually got the chance to perform in front of both a live audience and in studio”. The band recorded a CD which was a moderate regional hit. Although getting a chance to get perform both rhythm and solos, Dee felt it was time to develop his own ensemble to demand more challenges within himself as both a musician and entrepreneur. So, on New Year’s Eve of 1999, Dee Lucas formed his own band called Xpressions. Xpressions was comprised of a contemporary jazz trio. They produced and recorded a CD titled ‘Footprints’ which gained notoriety in some regional markets. The record contained the classic hit ‘People Make the World Go Round’. All of the compositions were produced and arranged by keyboardist Karey Davis and assisted by the saxman himself.
Not to be complacent, Dee conjured another challenge which would be his ultimate goal: solo artist. “I recalled going to my keyboard player Karey Davis to discuss my interest as a solo artist, and I wanted him to produce my debut record which would be a tribute to one of my musical influences which was George Howard. He approved with no problem. It really worked out, because his ultimate goal is to focus on production. So, in a sense, we were both happy about the idea and now have future musical commitments toward each other”.
The debut solo CD ‘Remembrance’ was released in 2004 under Dee’s newly-formed record label, Mo Better Recordings, and nationally distributed in 2005. It has received airplay from over 115 radio stations, and the list is growing. As an independent release, it has received stunning reviews. Smoothjazz.com’s Scott O’Brien said, “Dee Lucas has done a marvelous job of re-creating the instantly recognizable style and legacy of George Howard, while at the same time putting his own unique signature on each fresh, new performance….”
Adding consistency to his young but surprising start, Lucas released his second solo recording in 2007 titled ‘Something to Ride 2’ which truly met expectations and then some. “I am pleased with ‘Something To Ride 2,’ said Lucas. “I wanted a CD that people could groove to and have fun listening to and ‘Something To Ride 2” fits the bill. It’s somehwhat of a departure from what I did on my first CD, ‘Remembrance.’ With this record I wanted to further develop my own distinctive sound as a solo artist. My style, from a horn perspective, is different from that of many traditional smooth jazz artists in terms of melodic phrasing. I like taking off on an uncharted path in music and ‘Something To Ride 2’ is a representation of the journey that I take each time I pick up the sax. All in all, the concept of this recording was to create groove-oriented music that EVERYONE could enjoy, and I think did that.”
In July 2010, Lucas has released his third solo recording titled ‘Standing Room Only ‘ which delivers a fresh approach and new direction for the saxman. The music goes full throttle from smooth to house to urban back to funk yet maintaining the integrity of contemporary jazz music. Lucas mentioned, ” I think it’s very important to continue to move forward with the times, because our consciousness and awareness are changing during these times. Therefore, it may not be such a bad idea to try something new and stretched the music boundaries just a little.”
Appearance Summary:
Jazz-N-June/Jazz-on-the-Mountain Music Festival (Huntsville, Alabama)
2001 Superbowl Superfest (St. Petersburg/Tampa, Florida)
2003 NBA All-Star Pre & Post Game Performances (Atlanta, Georgia)
2003 Atlanta Jazz Festival (Atlanta, Georgia)
Black College Football Awards Banquet (Atlanta, Georgia)
Harvest Music Festival (Harvest, Alabama)
Gladys Knight Birthday Bash (Atlanta, Georgia)
Gospel Recording Artist Byron Cage Birthday Bash (Atlanta, Georgia)
Former NBA All-Star Dominique Wilkins Birthday Bash (Atlanta, Georgia)
Ray Charles Post-Concert Performance (Atlanta, Georgia)
Gerald Albright Post-Concert Performance (Atlanta, Georgia)
Jonathon Butler Post-Concert Performance (Atlanta, Georgia)
WC Handy Music Festival (The Shoals, Alabama)
Rev. Bernice King Birthday Bash (Atlanta, Georgia)
Piedmont Jazz Festival (The Triads, North Carolina)
Jacksonville Jazz Festival (Jacksonville, Florida)
Dekalb County Jazz & Blues Festival (Atlanta, Georgia)
Sunset Beach Music Festival (Morrow, Georgia)
Riverwalk Jazz & Blues Festival (Montgomery, Alabama)
Taste of 4th Avenue Jazz & Blues Festival (Birmingham, Alabama)
‘A Tribute to George Howard’ Concert Benefit (Atlanta, Georgia)
Post Entertainment Smooth Jazz Concert Series (Winston-Salem, North Carolina)
2007 Capital Jazz Festival Competition (Washington, D.C.) *****1st Runner-up*****
Dekalb-Lithonia Summer Concert Series (Atlanta, Georgia)
Savannah Jazz Festival (Savannah, Georgia)
Jazz-on-the-Grass Music Festival (Montgomery, Alabama)
KJZS Smooth Jazz 92.1 FM ‘Smooth Jazz Night Out’ (Reno, NV)
WGRV The Groove’s Oceanfront Concert Series (Melbourne, Florida)
WGRV The Groove’s Smooth Jazz on the Beach (Cocoa Beach, Florida)
Concert Benefit for Sickle Cell Foundation of Alabama (Birmingham, Alabama)
Dekalb County CEO Inauguration Ball/Vernon Jones (Atlanta, Georgia)
In Concert with Nneena Freelon
In Concert with Lalah Hathaway
In Concert with Greg Karukas
In Concert with Hugh Masakela
In Concert with The Gap Band
2009 BET Women’s Health Symposium in concert with Deborah Cox and Kelly Price
Television Appearances:
NBC New 13 – Birmingham, AL (live performance to promote Sickle Cell Concert Benefit sponsored by the Birmingham alumni chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.)
WSB TV Ch. 2 – Atlanta, GA (‘Destination Atlanta’ covering The Taste of Soul event for Super Bowl XXXIV)
Fox 6 ‘Good Day Birmingham’ – Birmingham, AL (live performance promoting the smooth jazz concert with national jazz artist Greg Karukas)
Radio Interviews:
WCLK-ATLANTA, GA / 91.9 FM
WVAS-MONTGOMERY, AL / 90.7 FM
WTCC-SPRINGFIELD, MA / 90.7 FM
WUAL-TUSCALOOSA, AL / 91.5 FM
WRFG-ATLANTA, GA / 89.3 FM (Weekly Program ‘Jazz to Soothe Your Soul’)
WSNC/WINSTON-SALEM, NC / 90.5 FM
WUMR-MEMPHIS, TN / 91.7 FM
WZZA-TUSCUMBIA, AL / 1410 AM (Weekly Program ‘A Look At the Shoals’)
CIM INTERNET RADIO-NEW YORK, NY
WMGL-CHARLESTON, SC Magic 101.7 FM
WJAB-HUNTSVILLE, AL / 90.9. FM
GHP Internet Radio-EL RENO, OK
KJZS – RENO, NV / 92.1 FM
WEIB – SPRINGFIELD, MA 105.3 FM
Corporate-Sponsored Events:
McDonalds Corporation
PriceWaterhouse Coopers
100 Black Men of America
American Urban Radio Networks
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Dekalb County Government
Peachtree Settlement Funding
National Medical Association
American Black Cardiologist
U.S. Pharmaceuticals
UniverSoul Circus
Turner Broadcasting Station
Clark-Atlanta University Alumni Association
BET



